Newest California Wildfire Becomes State’s Fifth Largest

The largest fire in California this year, the Park Fire, has become the fifth-largest wildfire in the state’s history, burning more than 383,000 acres—or roughly half the size of Rhode Island—according to Cal Fire. This fire only started a week ago and is 14% contained as of yesterday.

Near Chico, California, the fire has caused evacuation orders to be issued for four counties. As of July 29, 105 structures have been destroyed and another five have been damaged, including homes, CBS News reported.

As of Tuesday, more than 4,600 wildfires have burned a total of 751,327 acres in California this year and caused one fatality. Additionally, Cal Fire said 73 structures have been damaged and 329 have been destroyed.

As of yesterday, 89 large, active wildfires are burning in the U.S., according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Nationwide, 27,982 wildfires have burned 4,247,895 acres this year.

A dangerous mid-summer heat wave continues to add to wildfire stress. As of Tuesday, the National Weather Service said hot weather expanded across the central U.S. and Southeast, with consistent hot weather across the West where the active wildfires burn. Fortunately, much cooler and more humid weather will overspread the Northwest, northern Great Basin, and western parts of the northern Rockies behind a passing cold front. Showers and a few thunderstorms will produce areas of beneficial rain, the National Interagency Fire Center said. Meanwhile, highs above 100 degrees over much of Kansas, Oklahoma, and northwestern Texas will promote a continued drying trend and possible increase in wildfires. Still, the eastern half of the country has no fire concerns, where high humidity and rainfall continue.